Electricity Overload
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24109
Printed Date: May 16 2025 at 1:10pm
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Topic: Electricity Overload
Posted By: soundsurfer
Subject: Electricity Overload
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 1:41am
| Is it possible to change out a one of the 20amp circuit breaker in your breaker box with a same sized 40amp and that allow for more electrity to the four outlets I have it on??? They are in my kitchen and have a GFI minibreaker on one of the outlets?? Any help would be sweet |
Replies:
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 1:48am
I'm no electrician, but I'm pretty sure if you have a 20amp breaker, your wires are rated for a 20amp breaker. You'd most likely have to re-wire your kitchen. Are you blowing breakers from your tank? I know how that goes  ------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: soundsurfer
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 1:52am
| hah. close very close. But the little tester breaker always trips when i push a cord and it gets stuck halfway and it goes on and off really fast in a row. But with a new lighting and pumps and heaters and a number of other gadgets im afraid I will be right around 1,800-2,200 watts |
Posted By: EagleEyez5
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 1:52am
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if the breaker keeps popping, you may just need a new one....this will not solve the problem long term, but good enough until you get into a different place......if a breaker is run constant at 75% of what it is rated, it wears out alot faster.....that is why it is good to 'spread' the wattage around.......
how large is the load on the one breaker?..... ------------- http://www.highendcorals.com/"> 
WMAS PAID SPONSOR |
Posted By: EagleEyez5
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 1:55am
looks like you need an extension cord.....that is alot of power.....do your roomates know how much more the electric bill will be?......this could be fun to watch...let me know when you are going to open the bill......I want front row seats.....  ------------- http://www.highendcorals.com/">
WMAS PAID SPONSOR |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 2:01am
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i have my 72 and 120 running on the same 20 amp breaking 2x150 halides 2x250 halides plus return pumps heaters etc!!!!. I accidentaly blew the breaker one day when i turned on the dehumidifier on the same breaker. DIddnt pop before we set up the 120 but apparently now its too much. I'm guessing your breaker is just bad too. as for electric bills. I just got the largest one this past month. i'm guessing the next one will be even bigger since adding another tank.
171 bux for the month
thats 2x400 halides. the two 150s the two 250s plus pumps heaters, another 150 halide on my frag tank, washer, dryer, etc etc, I never turned the electric heat on all winter my house stays warm from halide heat ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 2:14am
 That's a big bill! My breaker only blew when I tried to run the iron on the same circuit lol------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: soundsurfer
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 2:21am
Yeah....My roomate has the electric bill automatically deducted from his acount.....I figure he gets to enjoy my tanks as much as I do, so its fair we pay the same price. . Yeah I figure i have 250watts in heaters...(not all on at the same time) 3x250watt lights, 200watts in PC...i think the iwaki 40rxlt runs around 300-400watts. and pump and skimmer and timers mostly MJ's im not too sure so 1700watts not includeing the powerheads and pumps for skimmer plus additional room for more gadgets. Its awfully clse to 75-85%max load during the day.
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Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 2:33am
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fo sho! why are you still up. I'm up b/c im worried about my clowns and have been checking on them like every 10 minutes ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 8:42am
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changing the breaker to a 40 with 12 gauge wire will most likely burn your house down. and invalidate any fire insurance, not a good idea, also if you do go with the extension cord route also make sure that you are using a cord that has at least a #10 wire there will be considerable voltage drop otherwise. (this will be expensive depending on the length of wire) the best bet is to add an additional circuit that can handle the extra load. |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 8:48am
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one other thought, the gfci could also be faulty, I would recommend changing that gfci out to a better quality unit, get one from a local electrical wholesaler, it will be more expensive than getting it from home depot, or lowes. The quality will be better. |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 2:05pm
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Do change out both the breaker and GFI. DO NOT change it out with a 40 amp breaker. Stay with 20. You'll end up melting your wires and possibly burning the place down. Extension cord idea is also a good one. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: soundsurfer
Date Posted: March 01 2008 at 3:53pm
| Sounds good. I will figure some sort of shady extension job to hook stuff up. |
Posted By: unixnum1
Date Posted: March 03 2008 at 11:33am
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Electricians set up circuits so that the breaker has a normal 50% load running through it. That would then take into account the occasional extra irons, lights, etc, that would be turned on occasionaly. Even though a circuit and wires may be rated at 20 A, they are not made to carry 20A, 24 hours a day. If you did that, you would find they would get extremely hot. Be careful with extension cords and use the shortest one that will fit. The longer they are, the more power is lost and the hotter they will get. ------------- 220G with 30G sump, SPS/LPS. RoboTank Controller. ===================================== why am I always the stem? 
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